Senna | Win: Prost A tense finale. Prost led from start to finish. Senna, trying to overtake a backmarker (the Williams of newly-crowned F3000 champion Jean-Louis Schlesser — yes, the same man from Monza!), made contact and retired on lap 33. Prost cruised to win the race, but Senna had already done enough: Ayrton Senna was World Champion by 90 points to 87 (Prost’s 7 wins vs Senna’s 8 wins; countback gave Senna the title under the best-11-results rule, but under total points he also led).
Qualifying was a war. Senna took pole, but Prost was closer than ever. At the start, Senna stalled his engine. The McLaren sat motionless on the grid as the field roared past. The championship seemed over. Prost was leading, cruising toward his third title. f1 1988 season
Senna | Win: Prost Prost won again. The championship was now incredibly close: Prost 81, Senna 79, with two races left. (Points system: 9 for win, 6 for 2nd, 4 for 3rd, etc.) Senna | Win: Prost A tense finale
Senna | Win: Senna Senna led from pole to flag. Prost’s engine failed. Senna now led the championship. Prost cruised to win the race, but Senna
Senna | Win: Senna Senna dominated, leading every lap. Prost finished 2nd. The gap to 3rd (Berger, Ferrari) was over a lap. McLaren’s supremacy was already boring some observers.